Search engine optimization (SEO) is an ever-transforming concept, and after a year like 2020, it only becomes more dynamic. This last year’s turbulence influences consumers in various ways, including how they search. Accordingly, digital marketing initiatives in 2021 will call for significant flexibility as we uncover the effects of these events. So how will SEO strategy change in 2021? Below, we break down seven points to consider as you tackle the rest of this year.
Search Intent
Search intent is defined as the primary goal of a consumer when they interact with a search engine. Users typically seek a specific type of result, depending on how they query. While this is not a new contributing factor for SEO, search intent will be increasingly important in 2021. A year of quarantine and virtual innovation has only augmented the volume of online content. Optimizing content for search intent and semantic search based on the ideal consumer’s goal is key for your business’s SEO strategy.
Subtopics
Subtopics are the underlying categories and classifications that correspond to a primary keyword search. Search engines are now extremely well-versed in identifying and understanding subtopics and can readily serve them to a user based on their search history, search intent, and recent website visits. In 2021, categorizing content with an all-encompassing, easily navigable structure remains an integral approach to boosting SEO value. Accordingly, your brand should cover its most targeted keywords and concepts in their entirety complete with a logical internal linking strategy to clearly display subtopics to both crawlers and consumers.
Video Content
Video content refers to any form of online content that features or includes video, such as GIFs, live videos, vlogs, webinars, and more. This year, search engines are significantly more capable of comprehending context in video content. Google, for example, can now identify and tag specific moments in a video and direct a user to the relevant segment straight from a search result. Google is already starting to consider this factor to determine a website’s SEO value. YouTube and Vimeo continue to play an enormous role in terms of user engagement, as consumers prefer visual results over lengthy text. If your brand isn’t investing its energy toward developing video content in 2021, you may be missing out on a tremendous opportunity.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is any intelligence exhibited by machines, and refers to a computer’s ability to learn and develop to improve decision-making with real-time data. AI is constantly evolving how search engines interact with websites and consumers and will play a critical role in SEO and search engine results pages (SERP) ranking factors. To optimize your brand’s website to account for AI algorithms, your best course of action is to enhance your user experience with usable, well-organized, and engaging content. This way, your business is prepared to help both users and AI learn and grow from your pages.
Voice Search
Voice search is a form of technology that enables consumers to use verbal commands to activate and initiate a search query on their devices. As voice search continues to increase in popularity in 2021 with devices such as Amazon Echo and Google Home, search queries will change, and brands will need to adapt quickly. Accordingly, the length and order of your keyword phrases is an angle worth considering to improve your brand’s SEO. When consumers voice search, they have a tendency to speak more naturally than when they type their query. By optimizing content to consider voice search in your business’s 2021 SEO strategy, you may position your brand ahead of the curve.
Page Experience
Page experience is defined by a set of measurements that monitor how a user perceives a web page beyond its content. Factors that contribute to a good page experience include loading speed, visual stability, mobile responsiveness, security, and others. In 2021, search engines such as Google will consider page experience very heavily in their ranking algorithms. Any effective SEO campaign should take page experience into account, and your brand must ensure adequate back-end development for optimal performance.
Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals, or essential webpage metrics, is another set of factors that Google, specifically, is taking more seriously in 2021. Core Web Vitals comprises three primary metrics, including Largest Contentful Paint, First Input Delay, and Cumulative Layout Shift. These Core Web Vitals categories analyze how a website performs in terms of how long it takes before a user can interact with your website or how long images take to load. For optimal SEO performance, your brand must refine its Core Web Vitals efforts.
Looking to boost your brand’s SEO value in 2021? Bearpaw Partners is a top digital marketing agency located in Atlanta, GA. We specialize in SEO, content marketing, video production, web development, and more. Bearpaw Partners works closely with your brand to construct and execute exceptional digital marketing campaigns that make it easy for your customers to find you. Let’s work together. Contact us today.
